Jailor, his deputy among 7 booked for undertrial’s death in UP prison

Kotwali SHO Rakesh Kumar said that the complaint was filed by Tiwari’s wife, Pooja, on charges of murder and extortion. “ We have registered a case in the matter,” Kumar said.

Tiwari had been lodged in Hamirpur jail since September 11 in connection with a 2015 case for allegedly assaulting a Dalit man. He was arrested after a court issued a non-bailable warrant for failing to appear in the case.

According to jail officials, on September 14, Tiwari allegedly created a disturbance inside a barrack. Officials said he was brought “under control” by Deputy Jailor Sangaish Kumar with the assistance of Jail Warden Anil Kumar Yadav. Later in the afternoon, his health deteriorated, and he was rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The body was subsequently brought back to the jail, and the family was informed. Pooja, his wife, alleged, “When we first reached the jail, the staff refused to show us the body. We staged a protest outside the premises, after which they agreed. Even then, they initially allowed us to see only his face. It was only after our repeated insistence that they uncovered the body, and we noticed injury marks on his back.”

His sister Ragini Tiwari said, “We demand that those responsible for his death be booked and an FIR be registered against them. We also want compensation as he leaves behind his wife and two children. We also want a government job for Pooja.”

Earlier in the day, the state prison department had suspended deputy jailor Sangesh Kumar and jail warden Anil Kumar Yadav on charges of negligence. A departmental inquiry had also been initiated against them, Hamirpur Jail Superintendent Manjeet Vishwakarma confirmed.

Anil’s cousin, Ghanshyam Dwivedi, claimed, “Government officials are at our place and trying to convince our family to collect the body. We have clearly told jail officials and others who came to persuade us that the last rites will not be performed until our demands are fulfilled.”

The post-mortem report stated the exact cause of death could not be ascertained. Police said the viscera has been preserved for further examination.

Hamirpur SP Deeksha Sharma said that both magisterial and judicial inquiries will be conducted.